Following early general elections on Feb. 25, 2001, Moldova became the first former Soviet republic in which unreformed Communists returned to power. Playing on widespread dissatisfaction with the post-Communist transition, the Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova garnered 50.1% of the votes, taking 71 of the 101 seats in Parliament. The remaining seats were divided between the Braghis Alliance, a loose centre-left bloc led by incumbent Prime Minister Dumitru Braghis, and the right-wing Christian Democratic Popular Party. On April 4 Parliament elected Communist leader Vladimir Voronin as Moldova’s president, and he set up a government of technocrats led by Vasile Tarlev, a 37-year-old manager. One main goal was to increase the role of the state in the economy. Another was the introduction of Russian as the country’s second official language, but this evoked protests, especially among the intelligentsia.

As might be expected, the Communists advocated a reorientation toward Moscow and favoured joining the Russia-Belarus Union. On November 19, Voronin and Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin signed a basic bilateral treaty covering cooperation in many fields and favouring the special status of the Russian language in Moldova. The Moldova Parliament ratified the treaty on December 27. Moldova was admitted to the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe in June, and in July it became a full member in the World Trade Organization. Neighbouring Romania introduced strict passport controls for Moldovan citizens effective July 1, and in October Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase canceled an official visit to Chisinau following statements by Moldovan Justice Minister Ion Morei, who accused Romania of interference in Moldova’s internal affairs and of “expansionism.”

The Communists’ pledge to find a firm resolution to the Transnistria conflict proved unrealistic. In September the breakaway region suspended negotiations with Moldovan authorities, whom it accused of imposing an economic blockade. In early October Putin disbanded the Russian State Commission for Transnistria, and in mid-November Russia announced that the withdrawal of heavy military equipment form the region had been completed.